What I Learned at the #FreeFortnite Cup
A look at the quirkier side of Epic Games’ PR blitz.
Hey y’all, it’s Austin. On Sunday, I joined the #FreeFortnite Cup, the hashtag-hyped tournament that developer Epic Games Inc. is using to rally its 350 million players against Apple Inc. The two technology giants have been embroiled in a public battle over the terms of Apple’s App Store, which Epic escalated with a battle royale themed around the corporate dispute, complete with “anti-Apple” prizes such as a “Tart Tycoon” avatar and “Free Fortnite” hats in Cupertino colors.
The #FreeFortnite Cup arrived just days before Apple is slated to block iOS devices from accessing the next season of Fortnite, the cross-platform video game phenomenon. Epic has alleged the 30% cut that Apple takes on billings through its App Store is anti-competitive, while Apple has argued that the company “won’t make an exception for Epic” when it comes to its third-party developer policies. The spat quickly graduated into a legal fight.